This invention relates to packaging of food products, and in particular, to display packages for fresh fruits and vegetables.
There is a need to display fresh fruits and vegetables in packaging which make them attractive to prospective consumers in a market setting. There is also a need to protect fresh fruits and vegetables from excess handling which can cause bruising and spoilage leading to short shelf-life.
Fresh fruits and vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, blueberries and apricots are typically packaged in one-pint plastic clamshell containers, or in plastic wire mesh or cardboard baskets. These prior art containers reduce the amount of human handling, and allow for visual inspection of the contents. However, such containers are typically discarded once the contents has been consumed, which is wasteful.
There is accordingly a need for a more ecologically friendly mode of packaging fresh fruits and vegetables for display.
The subject invention is directed to a display package, comprising a reusable food storage container placed on top of a lid for the container, and a sheet of transparent, flexible, breathable material overwrapping and securing together the container and the lid, wherein once the sheet is removed, the container and the lid may be used together to form an airtight enclosure for storing various food products.
One aspect of the invention is a display package for fruits and vegetables, comprising a container suitable for reuse as a fruit storage container, the container having an open top and a capacity selected to contain a predetermined amount of fruits or vegetables, a lid for the container, the container being positioned on top of the lid, the lid being shaped to be capable of releasably sealably enclosing the top of the container, thereby providing an airtight enclosure for storing various food products, once the fruits or vegetables are removed from the container, and a sheet of flexible material sized for overwrapping the container and the lid such edge portions of the sheet overlap underneath the lid, the edge portions being coupled together so as to secure the lid against the container during handling and display, the material having a composition which allows for visual inspection of the fruits or vegetables and escape of gases generated by the fruits or vegetables.
The sheet of material is preferably a clear breathable PVC film. The overlapping ends of the film are preferably heat sealed. The container and lid are preferably commercially available reusable food storage containers.
The subject invention also relates to a method for packaging fruits or vegetables, comprising the steps of:
(a) placing the fruits or vegetables in a container suitable for use as a food storage container;
(b) placing the container on the top of a reusable lid for the container;
(c) overwrapping the container and the lid with a sheet of flexible material sized to extend under and cover the bottom of the lid, the material being suitable to display the fruits or vegetables and to allow gases generated thereby to escape from the containers;
(d) folding the film underneath the lid such that edge portions of the film overlap; and
(e) coupling the overlapping portions of the film together so as to secure the lid against the container during handling and display.